Improvement in capstans



JAoo'B EDSoN, or BoSToN, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No; 96,568, (lated November. 9,1869.

IMPRVEMENT IN marsa-ANS.

The Schedule' referred to in these Letters Patent and making` part ofthe same.

To all persons to whom these presents 'may come Beit knownthat IJAooBEpson, of Boston, of the county of Suolk, and State vof Massachusetts,have made a new and useful invention, having reference t'o Gapstans forNavigable Vessels; and I do hereby declare the same to be fullydescribedin the following specification, and represented inthe accompanyingdrawings, of which- Figure 1 is a transverse section of a lcapstan, asprovided with my invention.

' Figure 2 is a top view of it, as it appears lafter remmfral of thehead from the barrel, the spider, and the sha Figure 3 is an under-sideview of the head.

Figure 4 is a vertical section of one of the pawls of the head, suchsection exhibitingnot only the connection of such pawl with the head,but the bearinglip of the pawl. y

Figure 5 is a horizontal section of the capstan,I it being taken throughthe ratchet of the capstan-shaft, or spindle.

In these drawings- A denotes the base, and B the barrel of the capstan,the latter being supported by, and so as t-o'be capable of beingrevolved on a spindle, C, extending upward-from the base.

The barrel, at its lower part, isfurnished with pawls a a, to operate inand with a dentated groove, b, formed inthe base A.

At its upper part, the barrel has a concavity or chamber, c, whosesurface is provided with'an internal gear, fl, whose upper part iscircumscribed by a ratchet or circular toothed rack, e.

A spider, or circular box or frame, D, is larranged within the chamberc, and 'rests on a bearing, f, projecting from its bottom.

This spider carries two gears, g.g, which engage with the internal geard.

Furthermore, the spider is provided with one or more pawls, h, to engagewith a ratchet, i, formed on or fixed to the spindle C.

The two gears g g engage with another such gear,` k, projected downwardfrom a short journal, l, which also extends downward from a bar, m.

This bar goes dametrically across the chamberl of the capstan-head E,which is concave-convex in form, and is provided with holes or sockets,n n, to receive the 'ends of the capstan-bars generally employed inrevolving the head.

There are pivoted to the bar m, two pawls 0 o, each of which, at itsheel, is furnished with a lip, 1), which is extended back from the pawl,so as to heal' against the bar, when the pawl is in engagement with theratchet or circular rack e.

The purpose ofthe lip is to relieve the pivot or centre-pin from strainwhile the capstan is. in operation. It also prevents the pawl fromdropping too far while the capstan-head is either being taken off or-put in place on the capstan-barrel. It also regulates the inclinationof the pawl.

There is applied to each of the capstan-head pawls o o,- a mechanism or`means by which the -pawls may at any time be readily raised out ofengagement with the circular. rack e. l

, The devices for this purpose consist of a knobbed plug, t4, and cordsor ropesvq q, extended i'lhereirom, and fastened tothe pawls. f

The knobbed plug is inserted in ka socket or hole, 1, made through theoapstan-head. y

' By taking hold of the knob of the plug, and drawing the plug out of.its hole, the pawls, by the cords, may be simultaneously raised out ofengagement with the rack. p

Thisfis usefil'in the case of overriding of the cable on-the barrel of-the windlass, or of setting free the barrel, so that it may freelyrevolve back, and restore the cable-coil to its proper position.

` The short journal l, heretofore named as extended l support thespider, which from the bar. m, serves to can revolve on such journal.

The shoulder s, at the upper part of the journal, serves to keep thespider from rising oli' its seat. The capstan-headlis pivoted on lthespindle, which serves as a centre therefor, the head being capable ofbeing freely revolved, in either direction, horizontally von thespindle.

When, however, thevhead is turned veither way, the barrel will berevolved in the same direction.l Turning-the head one way, causes thepawls there-r of to engage with the circulairack and revolve thejbarrel, the spider being then .free to revolve with the barrel.

vBut when the head is turned theother way,- the pawls will slip over therack-teeth, the spiderwll be held stationary on the spindle, by means ofthe pawls of the spider and the ratchet of the spindle. As aconsequence, the gear of` the head will revolve the gears of the spider,which, throughtheir action on the internal gear of the barrel, willcanse the barrel to revolve. p

I claim as my invention, the following, viz: v

1. TheA capstan-pawlio, as made with the lip p, arranged to relieve thecentre-pin. from strain, as described, such lip being for otherpurposes, as explained.

2.' The arrangement 'of the plug tand the lines q, with the pawls o andthe capsta'mhead E.

3. Thecombnation, as well as the arrangement, of

the jou'rnal l with .the capstan-headE, the pinion k,

and th e rotary gea1"frame.orspider D, arranged within the ca'pstan, as-set forth.

I4. The arrangement' of the auxiliary pawl or pawls f hand the ratchet iwith the spindle O, the rotary spider D and its gears, the capstan-headand its pinion and pawl or p'awls, and the capstan-barrel-and itsvinternal gear.

JACOB EDSON.

Witnesses: v v

R. H. EDDY, S. N. Plrnn.

